Often in my work with coaching clients, I hear some version of this story hidden in their words: “I’m just not organized.”
Strangely enough, it tends to be the most competent, productive, and accomplished people who say this. If they weren’t driven to achieve more in their lives, then “not being organized” wouldn’t be a problem!
We seem to have this subconscious belief that “If I could just get organized, I could achieve anything.” Yet when I inquire further, no one seems to have any idea what it really means to “get organized.” It is a mirage, always teasing us from a distance, but even when we move toward it, it remains as distant as ever.
I have a definition of “getting organized” that I want to share with you. But first let’s talk about what it’s not.
Getting organized is not about aesthetics, or the way things look. Don’t be lured into believing that a workspace full of squared edges, clean lines, and minimalistic whitespace will somehow magically grant you clarity or peace of mind.
Getting organized is not about control. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to rigidly control your digital environment as an excuse to avoid facing the inherent uncertainty of life.
Getting organized, in my opinion, is about acquiring power.
“Power” is a dirty word for many people. We’re not supposed to want power. That’s a shameful desire best left to corrupt politicians and greedy capitalists, right?
Wrong.
Everything you want depends on how much power you have. All the goals you have for your career and your family, all the change you want to cause in your field or your community, all the relationships you want to form or improve, all the things you want to experience and possess.
It all depends on your ability to draw power from every source available to you and direct it toward the outcomes you want.
Power comes from the strength of your intellect. This is why I advise you to consume ideas from the world’s best thinkers and save the best ones you encounter in a centralized place that you can access anytime.
Power comes from the force of your emotions. By surrounding yourself with information that provokes a feeling of fascination, you’ll begin to harness the incredible enthusiasm for learning and growth you have trapped inside.
Power comes from systems that don’t depend on your energy levels, attention span, or self-discipline. That’s why PARA asks you to make one decision for each piece of information, and one decision only: When will this be relevant next?
Finally, power comes from alignment.
There is a common temptation to set up PARA to resemble the life you wish you had, instead of the life you actually have. Don’t create a bunch of aspirational projects and goals that are merely wishful thinking. When you have the courage to tell the truth about what is truly occupying your attention right now, and make PARA reflect that, the power really begins to flow.